Zaza

Zaza

Leoncavallo's Zazà is based on the hit play of the same name by Pierre Breton and Charles Simon. They story centers around Zazà, a Parisian music hall singer, and it traces the collapse of her relationship after she discovers her lover is married. Featuring infectious dance tunes and colorful orchestration, it is a far cry from the harsh, low-life realism of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. Yet, where the composer's first opera remains one of the most performed operatic works today, Zazà has all but fallen out of the repertory - despite several film adaptations including a 1923 version starring Gloria Swanson. Opera Rara's revival of Zazà is based on Leoncavallo's own 1919 revision of his score which has been carefully researched by Italian opera specialist, Maurizio Benini. He leads the BBC Symphony Orchestra in their third collaboration with Opera Rara. Taking on the challenging soprano role for the first time is Ermonela Jaho who is joined by Riccardo Massi as her lover Milio, Stephen Gaertner as her onstage partner and former lover Cascart and Patricia Bardon as her mother Anaide.